


Don't Try Suicide

by KayomiKitten



Category: Bohemian Rhapsody (Movie 2018), Queen (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst with a Happy Ending, Fluff and Angst, Hurt Roger Taylor (Queen), Hurt/Comfort, No Beta, One Shot, Platonic Froger, Protective Freddie Mercury, Strangers, Suicidal Thoughts, previous suicide attempt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-04
Updated: 2020-09-04
Packaged: 2021-03-06 20:14:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,611
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26284777
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KayomiKitten/pseuds/KayomiKitten
Summary: Freddie wakes up in the middle of the night to a phone call from a stranger who was attempting to call the suicide hotline.
Relationships: Freddie Mercury & Roger Taylor
Comments: 11
Kudos: 52





	Don't Try Suicide

**Author's Note:**

  * For [FlyAway_33](https://archiveofourown.org/users/FlyAway_33/gifts).



> Hello! 
> 
> This is a just a simple one shot I threw together becasue I was feeling down. I may or may not be projecting my own issues onto Roger here lol. I'm a sucker for soft angsty Froger, what can I say. 
> 
> Enjoy!
> 
> Also, gifting this to my friend, becasue she seemed very enthusiastic about the previews I showed her. So, uh, yeah.. <3

Freddie wakes up to his phone ringing, loudly next to his head. He jumps slightly, body jolting awake at the loud noise. He rolls over in bed, still in that half asleep state where you don't even know where you are yet. He considers skipping the call, but something compels him to answer. 

He grumbles unhappily about being woken up, but reaches over and grabs his phone, not even bothering to read the caller ID. 

“Yes?” He mumbles into the phone, his voice thick with sleep. The other end is silent for a moment, besides what sounds like some shaky breathing. What is this? A prank call? He doesn’t have time for this shit.. 

He considers hanging up, but then a voice comes over.

“Hello. Is this the hotline?” The voice is male, though gravely, and unstable, as if the owner has been doing a lot of crying. Freddie blinks into his dark room, tired brain trying to make sense of the stranger's words. 

“Hotline?” 

“The, uh, suicide hotline?” The voice asks, getting slightly quieter with each word. They sound ashamed by what they just asked. The words get Fred’s attention though, he props himself up on his elbow in bed. 

“Suicide hotline? Uhh, no, it’s not. Sorry to tell you, dear. ” He says, trying to speak in a kind, and calm tone. The person on the other end makes a small gasping sound. 

“Oh shit, really?” 

“No.” Freddie confirms, sitting up in his bed more. He grinds his teeth slightly, nervously, waiting for them to respond to him. After a few moments, he hears a deep, unstable breath being taken, followed by the same gravely tone. 

“Oh… oh I see.” The voice sounds slightly deadpan when the bloke speaks, it seems to be speaking more to himself than to Freddie “Well, clearly this is a sign that I shouldn't have bothered.” There’s another shuddering breath. “I’m sorry to have disturbed you, I’m gonna hang up now, goodnight.” 

Oh hell no, not on Freddie’s watch. 

“Wait!” 

“What?” 

“Umm.” Shit.

He needs to say something to this man, this stranger. They could be in danger of hurting themselves. He scrambles his brain to find something to say, thankfully they don’t hang up. “Are you, um, alright? Darling?” 

Smooth Fred, very smooth. 

A humorless laugh rings through the phones. “I think you already know the answer to that. If I was alright I wouldn’t be calling a suicide hotline. Or rather trying to.” He says, matter of factly. Freddie can hear prominent sass in the voice when he speaks. “I’m sure you want to get back to your life now though, so goodnight.” 

“Wait, no stop!” He tries again. 

“What is it now?” The annoyance is barely hidden behind the shaky tone. 

“You’re not gonna hurt yourself...are you?” He waits a few moments, but the line remains silent. “Just…just hold on a minute love, talk to me.” 

“About what?” Comes the skeptical response, after a silence far too long for Freddie’s liking. 

“Anything Darling! Anything you want, anything in the world!” 

“There’s nothing I want to talk about.” 

“Tell me what’s bothering you.” 

“Nothings bothering me.” The reply comes much too quickly, like it’s a practiced reflex, an act of deflection. One Freddie sees right through.

“Rubbish.” He exclaims, hearing a heavy sigh though his speaker

“Look, mate, I appreciate what you’re trying to do, really. But there’s no point. It’s over for me, so just get back to your life, and forget about this conversation. You don’t know me, you’re not involved, your hands are clean.” Freddie can feel his anxiety rising with each word said. 

“I’m Freddie!!” He practically screeches, brain scrambling, desperate to find something, anything to say. “Freddie Mercury! What’s your name, dear?” 

There is a heavy silence, and Freddie can hear his heartbeat in his ears. With each passing second, his feeling of dread grows. But then, once he’s sure the bloke must’ve hung up, there’s that voice again. 

“Roger.” Is quietly mumbled out, and Freddie could cry tears of relief. He hasn’t lost him. “Roger Taylor.” 

“Roger, darling Roger, it is so very nice to meet you.” 

“Uh… yeah.. you too mate.” The victory is short lived when they fall into silence again. Freddie scrambles for something to say, but it turns out, he doesn’t have to, because Roger speaks again. “Why do you keep doing that?” 

“Doing what, darling?” Freddie asks, genuinely curious and also grateful that Roger is still here and speaking to him. 

“That!” Comes the answer, the already slightly high pitched voice climbing more with the exclamation. “Calling me ‘darling’ and ‘dear’ and ‘love’ and whatever.”

“Oh that!” Freddie smiles, invisible in his dark room. “I do that to everyone, love, it’s just how I speak.” 

“You just casually flirt with everyone?” Freddie actually laughs at this, happy that Roger feels comfortable enough to throw some sass his way. 

“Well yes, naturally, darling but that’s an entirely unrelated issue.” This earns him a laugh, it’s quiet and subdued, but genuine and happy sounding, and Freddie could sing for joy. 

The chuckles die out and they fall into a silence again, this one is slightly more tolerable, but there is still an underlying feeling of anxiety. Roger might be slightly cheered up now, but they aren’t out of the woods yet. 

“So,” he begins, keeping his tone gentle, not wanting to scare the man away or set him off. “These are interesting circumstances that have brought us together on this night.” 

“I suppose so, yes.” Comes the reserved response. The guard is back up, and well, Freddie can’t have that. 

“I've tried in the past.” He blurts out, not even stopping to hesitate. “To kill myself, I mean, when I was younger.” 

“Really?” Roger sounds surprised, Freddie hums in affirmation. “Why? If you don’t mind me asking, of course.” 

“Oh, you know how it is, being gay and having religious parents is usually never a good combo.” He speaks with a light tone, not wanting to dwell on the past. It was sad, but he’d moved on. He was who he was, and if they didn’t love him for who he was, they didn’t deserve to be in his life. 

“I don’t like religion,” comes the quiet response, and Freddie smiles. “tends to fuck people up.” 

“Indeed it does love, but that doesn’t matter now, that was a long time ago.” He speaks delicately, keeping his voice soft and warm, hoping to provide comfort and reassurance. “It got better for me, and it can get better for you too, love, but only if you stick around.” 

“Why are you doing this?” Rogers' voice sounds small, and weak, like he’s close to tears again. “What do you care? You don’t even know me?” 

“Because I’ve been in that place before, love. That dark, hopeless place that feels like there’s no way out of. Where every path looks treacherous and feels like it will lead to nothing but hurt.” Freddie speaks gently, a sad smile on his lips. “I can’t walk the path for you, but I can hold your hand while you walk it yourself. You’ll be okay, my darling, you really _really_ will be.” 

By the time Freddie is done, Roger is openly crying. He sounds miserable and desperate for comfort and Freddie wishes he was there to wrap the man up in a hug to comfort him properly. 

“You’re a great person, Fred. A really, truly, wonderful human being.” 

“You’re bloody right, I am.” He says, earning a watery chuckle. “And so, my dear, are you. I may not know you, but you’re good, and warm, like the sun. You shine so bright I can feel it through the phone.” 

There is another silence while Roger calms himself back down, when he speaks again, he sounds emotional, but happier.

“You sure there’s not a million things you’d rather do that listen to be whine?” The voice is joking, but serious, still giving Fred a genuine out. 

“Not at all, darling, I am all yours.” Freddie says, using the line he’s used to pick up blokes at the club, but in a very different context this time. 

“Well,” Roger sounds hesitant, and for a moment Freddie is worried that he’s going to deflect and refuse again like he’s clearly so used to doing. 

But he doesn’t. 

“Well, it’s kind of a long story, you see, I’m a dentistry major, and-“ 

xxxxxxxxx

Freddie wakes up to the sound of his alarm the next day. He groans, feeling more tired than usual, rolling over to slap a hand over his clock. He’s not usually a snoozer, but bones are aching today. 

He flops back down, intent on soaking but another few minutes, but a noise stops him. A swear, groaned out unhappily from his phone. 

“The hell? Did I forget to turn the bloody thing off last night?” 

He picks up his phone, feeling more awake now, and sees that he is currently on the phone with an unknown number. He remembers, last night, the call, Roger.

“Roger?” 

“Gah!” He yelps at the unexpected voice. “Who’s that?!” 

“It’s me, Freddie.” 

“Freddie? Who the-oh Freddie!” He exclaims, sleep deprived, brain playing catch up. Roger had opened up last night, they’d talked for hours, and in the end, when both of them found their eyelids closing involuntary, Freddie suggested they just don’t hang up, promising to be there when Roger woke up. 

“You actually stayed… you’re still here.” Roger sounds awed, and Freddie can’t help the wide grin that spread onto his face.

“Yes, my love, and you know the really wonderful thing? So are you.” 

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> If you are struggling and need to talk to someone, here is the number for the actual hotline :1-800-273-8255. 
> 
> You can get through it, you're going to be okay, I believe in you.


End file.
